(It's inspired by a reel on instagram by shuaficatio_on )
Joshua and Seokmin had been inseparable since their early college days. Theirs was the kind of friendship forged through long, late-night conversations, shared hopes, and quiet moments that didn’t need words. While Joshua was the dreamer, the sensitive one with a quiet strength, Seokmin was the lighthearted optimist, his laugh infectious, his warmth palpable. People gravitated toward him, but with Joshua, he was different—gentler, more attentive. And over the years, they became each other’s safe place.
After college, life pulled them into different routines, and it became harder to find time to catch up as much as they used to. Then came Joshua’s new boyfriend, someone Seokmin had only met in passing, a vague name paired with a handsome face in a few photos. Seokmin was polite whenever Joshua talked about him, even if something about the relationship didn’t sit well with him. Joshua’s boyfriend was always conveniently busy, never making the effort to be there when Joshua needed him most. Seokmin didn’t speak up, though—he didn’t want to ruin the happiness he thought Joshua had found. But watching his best friend slowly lose his spark in a relationship that seemed to drain him left a bitter taste in his mouth.
One evening, Joshua asked Seokmin to dinner, wanting to celebrate Seokmin’s recent promotion. For the first time in a while, Seokmin saw the old Joshua again—the one who laughed freely, who leaned into Seokmin’s shoulder as they joked about old college stories. They went to a cozy, dimly lit bar that both of them loved, ordering round after round of drinks. Between reminiscing about late-night study sessions and ridiculous pranks they’d pulled on their friends, they let themselves forget everything else. It was just the two of them, the way it used to be.
But as the evening wore on, Seokmin noticed how Joshua’s laughter began to fade, his gaze drifting, fingers absently tracing circles on his glass.
“Hey, are you alright?” Seokmin asked gently.
Joshua gave a small, tired smile, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “He… hasn’t called, has he?” Joshua said softly, almost as if admitting it out loud made it real.
Seokmin’s heart tightened. He tried to keep his frustration in check, but he couldn’t hide the slight edge in his voice. “Did he say he’d be here?”
“Yeah… he said he might join us after work, but I guess he got too busy.” Joshua shrugged, a half-hearted attempt to mask his disappointment.
Seokmin clenched his jaw, feeling a pang of anger he struggled to contain. He watched as Joshua tried to brush it off, like he always did, pretending it didn’t hurt even when it obviously did. Joshua deserved someone who showed up, someone who cared enough to be there, and Seokmin hated seeing him settle for less. He wanted to say something, wanted to tell Joshua to stop waiting for someone who couldn’t see his worth, but he held back. It wasn’t his place, he told himself.
After a few more rounds, Seokmin suggested they head home, but Joshua insisted on staying a bit longer, assuring him he’d be fine. Reluctantly, Seokmin left, though he couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling in his chest.
It was only a few hours later, well past midnight, when Seokmin’s phone buzzed, rousing him from a light sleep. He reached for his phone, squinting at the screen. Joshua’s name flashed across it. Immediately, he answered, his voice rough with worry.
“Josh? Where are you?”
The voice on the other end was soft, slurred, carrying that unmistakable tone of heartbreak wrapped in too many drinks. “Seokmin… you’re always there, aren’t you?” Joshua’s laugh was hollow, brittle. “I don’t know why I thought he’d pick up.”
